New Guinea Impatiens plant named ‘Applause Purple’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant named ‘Applause Purple’, characterized by its large, purple-colored flowers; freely flowering habit with flowers positioned above or beyond the foliage; mounded and compact plant habit; dark green leaves; and tolerance to full sun conditions and low night temperatures.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Applause Purple.

The new Impatiens is a product of a planned breeding program Inventor in Lompoc, Calif. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new Impatiens cultivars with compact plant habit and interesting flower and foliage colors.

The new Impatiens originated from a cross made by the Inventor of the Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Sunspot, not patented, as the female, or seed parent, with a proprietary Impatiens hawkeri seedling selection designated as code number 94-526-4, not patented, as the male, or pollen parent. The cultivar Applause Purple was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in controlled environment in Lompoc, Calif.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken at Lompoc, Calif., has shown that the unique features of this new Impatiens are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations. Plants of the new Impatiens differ from plants of the cultivar Sunspot and the male parent selection primarily in flower and leaf color.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Applause Purple’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Applause Purple’ as a new and distinct Impatiens cultivar:

1. Large, purple-colored flowers.

2. Freely flowering habit with flowers positioned above or beyond the foliage.

3. Mounded and compact plant habit.

4. Dark green leaves.

5. Tolerant to full sun conditions and low night temperatures.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the cultivar Grape Crush, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,107. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Lompoc, Calif., plants of the new Impatiens differ from plants of the cultivar Grape Crush, in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Impatiens are shorter and have a more mounded growth habit than plants of the cultivar Grape Crush.

2. Stem color of the new Impatiens is red purple whereas stem color of the cultivar Grape Crush is green with red purple at the nodes.

3. Leaf color of the new Impatiens is dark green with red purple venation whereas leaf color of the cultivar Grape Crush is bright green with green venation.

4. Plants of the new Impatiens have broader leaves than plants of the cultivar Grape Crush.

5. Plants of the new Impatiens are more freely flowering than plants of the cultivar Grape Crush.

6. Flower color of the new Impatiens and the cultivar Grape Crush differ, 74A and 78A, respectively.

7. Peduncles of the new Impatiens are green in color whereas peduncles of the cultivar Grape Crush are green in color with a red purple cast.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the cultivar Kicarl, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,370. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Lompoc, Calif., plants of the new Impatiens differ from plants of the cultivar Kicarl, in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Impatiens have broader leaves than plants of the cultivar Kicarl.

2. Plants of the new Impatiens are more freely flowering than plants of the cultivar Kicarl.

3. Plants of the new Impatiens have larger flowers than plants of the cultivar Kicarl.

4. Flower color of the new Impatiens and the cultivar Kicarl differ, 74A and 78A, respectively.

5. Flower spur apices of the new Impatiens are green in color whereas flower spur apices of the cultivar Kicarl are red purple in color.

6. Peduncles of the new Impatiens are green in color whereas peduncles of the cultivar Kicarl are red purple in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Impatiens. The photograph comprises a top perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Applause Purple’ grown during the spring in Lompoc, Calif., in a 15-cm container for about 20 weeks after planting a rooted cutting.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The cultivar Applause Purple has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, daylength, water status and/or fertility level, without, however, any variance in genotype. The following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Lompoc, Calif., during the spring, under commercial practice in a fiberglass-covered greenhouse. Plants used in the following description were grown in 15-cm containers for about 20 weeks after planting rooted cuttings. During the production period, night temperatures were maintained at 16° C. and light levels ranged from 3,000 to 4,0000 foot-candles.

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

Botanical classification: Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Applause Purple.

Commercial classification: New Guinea Impatiens cultivar Applause Purple.

Parentage:

Female parent.—Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Sunspot, not patented.

Male parent.—Proprietary Impatiens hawkeri seedling selection designated as code number 95-1131-2, not patented.

Propagation:

Type cutting.—Terminal cuttings.

Time to initiate roots.—Summer: About 8 to 10 days at 23° C. Winter: About 10 to 12 days at 20° C.

Root description.—Numerous, fibrous, and freely branching.

Plant description:

General appearance.—Mounded and compact plant habit.

Growth and branching habit.—Freely branching; pinching, that is, removal of the terminal apices, is typically not required. Vigorous growth habit.

Foliage description.—Arrangement: Whorled. Length: About 7 to 8 cm. Width: About 3 to 3.5 cm. Shape: Narrowly ovate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Acute. Margin: Serrulate with ciliation. Texture: Glabrous. Color: Young foliage, upper surface: 147A. Young foliage, lower surface: 59A. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 147A; venation, red purple. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 59B.

Flower description:

Flower type and flowering habit.—Single purple-colored flowers. Freely flowering, usually about one or two flowers per leaf axil. Flowers positioned above and beyond the foliage and typically face upward or outward. Flowers cupped when opening then mostly flat when opened. Flowers round in shape. Flowers last about two weeks on the plant depending on environmental conditions. Petals self-cleaning; gynoecium persistent. Flowers not fragrant. Flowering indeterminate and continuous.

Flowering season.—Year-round under greenhouse conditions. In the garden, flowering from spring until fall.

Flower diameter.—About 6 to 6.5 cm.

Flower buds.—Rate of opening: From flower bud to fully open flower, typically about 5 to 7 days depending on temperature. Shape: Ellipsoidal.

Petals.—Quantity: Single, five per flower, imbricate. Length: Banner petal: About 3 cm. Lateral petals: About 3 cm. Basal or keel petals: About 3.25 cm. Width: Banner petal: About 4.5 cm. Lateral petals: About 3 cm. Basal or keel petals: About 3.5 cm. Shape: Roughly cordate. Apex: Emarginate. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture: Smooth; velvety. Color: Upper surface: 74A; color does not fade with subsequent development. Lower surface: 67A.

Spur.—Length: About 4 cm. Color: 184B.

Peduncles.—Length: About 3.5 cm. Strength: Strong, flexible. Aspect: Mostly upright. Color: 146C.

Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number: Five fused at anthers, filaments free, hooded. Anther shape: Obovate. Anther color: 74A. Amount of pollen: Moderate. Pollen color: 158D. Gynoecium: Pistil number: One, five-segmented. Stigma color: Close to 74A. Style color: Close to 155D overlain with close to 74A. Ovary length: About 5 mm. Ovary color: Close to 146B overlain with 185A.

Seed development.—Seed development has not been observed.

Disease resistance: Plants of the new Impatiens have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens common to Impatiens.

Temperature and light tolerance: In Connellsville, Pa., plants of the new Impatiens have been observed to be tolerant to full sun conditions during the summer and to continue to flower. In Lompoc, Calif., plants of the new Impatiens have been observed to be tolerant to low night temperatures about 5 to 10° C. to continue to flower. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant named ‘Applause Purple’, as illustrated and described. 